The Natural Garden Coach

Sunday, June 5, 2011

More Hits and One Big Miss

'Grand Marshall' bee balm behind rosemary

Continuing from my last post about some of my hits and misses in the garden, here's a hit in my opinion. This is Monarda 'Grand Marshall', a fuschia-pink bee balm I planted last fall. The color becomes more intense when sunlight hits it. Very dark fuschia.

'Grand Marshall' bee balm

Of course, this may no longer be a hit after the plant behind this bee balm starts blooming. Behind it is flame acanthus (Anisicanthus quadrifidis wrightii), which blooms orange. I'm afraid a clash is going to occur, and I've been meaning to move the flame acanthus somewhere else for the last two years! Maybe this will spur me to it after all. Now, prepare yourself for this big miss ...

Possible canker on the oak tree

I'm in complete shock about what's happening to one of my newer oak trees - it's possible that canker has infected the whole tree. I'm still awaiting the final diagnosis from the extension agent, but it doesn't look good. This tree has been growing really well since we had it planted about four years ago. It grew very, very quickly and was planted as a future replacement tree for an old pecan that is on its last legs. We think it's a red oak (that's what I asked for but the guy who brought it and planted it couldn't remember the exact species).

ooze (sap?) running

I'm very curious what may have caused this. It shouldn't be drought stress since it's located where it gets water from the sprinkler system (and I try to water deeply). I sure hate to lose a tree, especially this one which had so much promise. Maybe the fact that it grew so quickly, from about 8 feet to almost 30 feet in four years, should tell me something. Most oak trees don't normally grow that fast.

'Windmill Yellow' daylily

On to something a little less anxiety producing. I bought a couple of 'Windmill Yellow' daylilies last weekend at Joy Walk Daylily farm outside of Ruston. Joy Walk is now getting famous for winning best in show (or something like that) at the national daylily shows with this particular bloomer. So maybe I have a famous daylily now?? The bloom is huge, much bigger than my hand. I hope it does well. And one last June "hit" in my garden, the purple coneflowers are starting to bloom.

21 comments:

If it were a thin barked species I would say it's sun scald. But living in Louisiana I doubt it. Its too high for deer antler damage. I had some red oaks in Oklahoma freeze crack before after the winter. Did it go into winter growing actively?

Greggo - I looked back at photos to see what the tree was doing around winter. Like most of my trees, it was wearing its fall colors into Christmas. I have a photo of it showing a few red leaves still hanging on New Year's Day. A month later it was covered in ice. We had some prolonged low temps (for us) in Jan and early Feb. If it cracked afterwards, then some bacterium probably invaded it later. It's funny that all the missing bark starts above the lowest branches.btw, I enjoyed perusing your blog!Jean

Good luck with your tree! I've been fighting dogwood borers and thought I was going to lose my dogwood last summer. I was so relieved when the arborist said it could be saved. I think orange and purple look so cool together I plant them as a combo. :o) So I don't think they'll clash at all!!

I love your fuschia bee balm; mine is a much paler color and I often wish it were darker like yours. I've learned to enjoy clashing colors, though--the orange acanthus will just draw everyone's eye to this corner of your garden.

I LOVE your monarda! I want a bunch of them. And don't worry about the color clash with anisacanthus: I do it all the time. Actually, in your case, I think this would be lovely. So sorry about the tree: let us know what the Extension agent says. And ooh, that pale daylily; must have some.

Mary, I haven't tried 'Jacob Cline' (in fact, this is only the second time I've tried monarda; first time it grew and grew but didn't bloom). But I did get 'Grand Marshall' from High Country Gardens and am very happy with it.

Jim and Scott - no mildew in sight for the monarda. That's saying a lot since I have a couple other plants in the same raised bed who DO have some powdery mildew now.

If the monarda is still blooming by the time the flame acanthus does, I'll be sure to take a photo of the two together. Then we'll all see if there's a clash!

This is my first time i visit here. I found so many entertaining stuff in your blog, especially its discussion. From the tons of comments on your articles, I guess I am not the only one having all the enjoyment here! Keep up the good work

Jean, that one miss is a doozie. I am truly sorry. As for the purple and orange, I think it would look cool, but then again, I mix purple and hot red, so maybe I'm the crazy one. Love your daylily my friend.~~Dee